Today I’m running a quick survey:
What movie makes you cry?
I just heard two DJs talking about this and their nominees were The Notebook and Castaway. One DJ’s mom cries at the same spot in Field of Dreams every time.
This topic made me flash back to an early career crisis in my life. I was 11 or 12 years old, working a a babysitter at a house down the street from my own. When the baby was in bed, sound asleep, it was Me Time. Descending to the basement of the split-level, I turned on the boob tube and got comfy on the plaid couch.
On the screen was Brian\’s Song. I had never seen it before and yes, it definitely made me cry.
In fact, I was sobbing in overly-dramatic adolescent girl fashion when I suddenly realized with horror how embarrassing it would be if the parents came home to such a scene. Not to mention how alarming it would be to them – they would think some terrible harm had come to their child! I had to stop crying!
Planning to splash my face, I ran into the little guest bathroom and turned on the cold water full force. Imagine my shock when the cheap faucet came off in my hand. Now there was a gusher shooting straight up from the sink.
I ran to the mustard yellow wall phone in the kitchen and called home. I babbled, “Daddy, come over quick! Bring tools! The faucet broke!” My dad arrived within minutes, and took care of the plumbing job. When the room was completely mopped up and order was restored, he strolled back on home (perhaps dodging the brigade of baton twirlers who routinely marched on our street).
And I mopped up my face carefully at the kitchen sink, fixed my barrettes, and prepared to receive my wages – 50 cents an hour. And forevermore, whenever anyone mentions Brian’s Song, that is the memory that comes, you might say, flooding back.
Please share your sad movie nominations and stories ~ thanks!
